DEBS: The Diamond Agenda
by grimorie
Summary: It's been three years since the Endgame, since then everything's settled down: fun, sand, art and an unexpected bite from the past.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: **D.E.B.S.: The Diamond Agenda  
**AUTHOR: Monic  
RATING:M for violence  
SUMMARY: Its been three years since Endgame, there's summer, sand, art and unexpected bite from the past.  
DISCLAIMER: D.E.B.S. do not belong, no monetary gain intended, diamonds are forever  
NOTES: unbeta'd, work-in-progress

---

Part One: **Idyllic Summer**

Right now, at this moment, everything was perfect, sun above her, water splashing and summer in an exotic country. It was the makings of paradise. It's been three years since she left the D.E.B.S. with a known criminal mastermind with a fetish for diamonds and a bizarre hate on for Australians.

Considering everything, and where she was now, worse thing s could have happened. Amy smiled, blinking as one of the cabana boys passed by with the drinks. It certainly didn't hurt that said criminal mastermind was loaded. Amy stretched out just her phone began ringing to the tune of the newest pop song sensation, she reached out, feeling positively languid. She'd never been this… idyll in the D.E.B.S., she wasn't _allowed_ to be.

"Hello." Amy sat-up, placed the phone on her right shoulder and grabbed the lotion as she listened. "No, we are not talking about this. No. No. Lucy. No."

Suddenly the person on the other end turned from vocal to the beeping tone of a cut connection. Amy stared at the phone and closed it with a sigh, only to ring again. "Hello."

"Barcelona phones are lousy." Groused Lucy.

"Maybe because Barcelona phones are not made for skydiving."

"I should sue the phone company."

"How long before you hit Earth?"

"Three minutes, give or take. You should have come with me."

Amy grinned. "I've been cooped up in school for the past few months, I like to enjoy the sun from this point of view thank you very much ."

"Okay. You know, I think you should really consider my idea."

"No. I really shouldn't."

"It'll be easy!"

"No, Lucy, we are not kidnapping my mother if she refuses our invitation."

"She doesn't like me."

Amy could hear the wind kick-up, distorting Lucy's words, she looked up, shading her eyes and tried to see were her erstwhile lover was. "She does like you. Its just she hasn't forgotten that you're the reason why I gave-up my lucrative career in espionage for art."

"Yeah, well—" There was a gurgle and a hiss, and the connection had cut off again. Amy shut the phone again, saw the pin prick that was Lucy and stood-up. Soon a bloom of red and blue fabric loomed over the sky then flopped on the sand not too far away.

Lucy emerged from the parachute, grinning like a fool, pulled the chute together, then unbuckled the belt but didn't bother to take off the skydiving suit. "Right on the money!" Shouted Lucy, taking off her goggles. Wind blown and ruddy skinned Lucy looked magnificent, and walked towards Amy when she was close, she dropped the chute on the sand and pulled Amy to her. "Give us a kiss, precious!"

Amy managed a surprised laugh before she was silenced by Lucy's brand of hello. It was long and passionate and, Amy fancied, tasted like sunshine. Lucy pulled back, smiling mischeviously. "Missed me?"

"Yes, but I just want to point out, you landed a meter off your mark."

"No, I didn't." Lucy glanced behind and squinted. "I landed exactly where I was meant to."

Amy shook her head. "No, you didn't."

Lucy let go of her and put on a mock hurt expression. "You callin' me a liar."

"No, I'm calling you a pushover." Before Lucy could reply, Amy pushed her, surprised Lucy flailed for a second before falling on the sand.

"Jesus!"

Amy started laughing at Lucy's stunned expression. "Not so badass now, are you?"

"You are so dead!" Promised Lucy, standing.

"If you can catch me, Diamond!" Taunted Amy fleeing the scene of the crime. Lucy sprang from the ground, and gave chase. Moments later, breathless but successful Lucy was sprawled on the sand once more, this time with Amy beside her.

"I love summer." Announced Lucy.

"I know you do."

"That's why your mother should say yes to the invite and enjoy the original latino heat!"

"I'm not arguing with you on that."

"I mean if she doesn't… another summer gone, and you know I can't go back stateside with all the standing warrants, unless---"

"No. I am not letting you do anything illegal." Amy said in a firm voice. "You do anything illegal and the D.E.B.S. will take that as a sign you're not fulfilling your end of the bargain."

Lucy sighed blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she sat-up, and proceeded to get out of the skydiving suit, Amy smiled. "Let me help."

The corners of Lucy's mouth quirked up. "Thought you'd never ask."

Amy raised her eyebrow and proceeded to help divest Lucy of the clunky suit, Lucy tilted her head. "Hey, isn't that your phone?"

"What?" Amy imitated Lucy's head tilt and heard it, it was indeed her phone. "Damn, it is."

"That's your mom's assigned ring tone, I believe."

"Be back." Amy stood up and started running towards the reclined beach chair.

Lucy pulled at the suit, signaled to one of the cabana boys and gave it to him. "Tell everyone to get gone."

Cabana boy nodded, Lucy waited for him to leave before approaching Amy.

"Yeah, mom, yeah. It's safe. Yes, it is." Lucy heard Amy say. Lucy looked at Amy and watched as Amy roll her eyes, then mouth the words: 'Sorry.'

Lucy shrugged and flopped on the sand and rifled to the stack of newspapers and magazines beside Amy's seat. Fashion magazine, art magazine, sketch books, newspapers—

Oh, _hello_.

Lucy plucked the paper from under the stack, and smiled at the headline:

**_Maharajah Diamond arrives in Barcelona_**

_Barcelona, Spain -- The Maharajah Diamond, known for its size and flawless cut has arrived in Barcelona in style, out on loan from Billionaire industrialists Richard Matthews…_

Lucy grinned. My, wasn't _that_ interesting?


	2. Chapter 2

**The Diamond Agenda**

Part one: **Idyllic Summer**, _cont'd_

_---_

_Los Angeles_

Max Brewer was pissed. This in itself was nothing new, she was occasionally angry, and occasionally annoyed with Janet. This isn't any different, but to be fair Janet wasn't the only reason Max was angry.

It had more to do with them hanging on a rope in the midst of certain death but it didn't change the fact that Janet was annoying her.

"I swear, I planned to tell you—"

"Janet!"

"—it's just things kept getting in the way—"

"Janet!"

"—and now it seems like we're going to die—"

"_Janet_!"

There was silence, then. "Um. Yes?"

"I _know_."

"You… know?"

Max struggled with the chains on her wrists and looked down at the melted metal pooling below. It had gone from orange to fiery orange with an extra bonus of popping heat bubbles or whatever they were. God, her legs were all sweaty and her arms were killing her. She did not like the feeling. She hated hanging from chains above a vat of melted steel.

Why the hell do damned super villains prefer factories anyway? "Of course I know. _Please_. Do you think after what happened to Amy, I don't keep tabs on your love life? I know that you and Scud are still seeing each other."

"Oh." Max heard Janet jangle her chains. "Am I going to be suspended?"

"No. You are not going to be suspended but you are going to die, if you don't shut-up and help me swing to the damned platform. My fucking arms are killing me."

"Oh. Okay." Then much more brightly. "Come on!"

"Good. Follow my lead." Max waited it out, measured the distance, then: "Now!" She kicked out and they swung from side-to-side, the metal chains dug into her wrists, killing any circulation that Max had.

Max kicked out some more, increasing the pendulum swing, just a little more… then thankfully she caught the railings with her legs, holding them in an awkward position, arms above their heads, and legs on the railings. Thank God, they weren't required to wear the plaid skirt anymore.

"What now?"

Max ignored Janet and concentrated in getting the pen on her shoulder pocket, after much effort, she got the pen between her teeth, angled it just _so_… the thin red laser shot out of the pen and suddenly the pain on her wrists subsided, only to have her falling over backwards, Janet's weight bringing her all the way back. Max locked her legs tighter on the railings and in the nick of time, caught Janet's hand before she fell on the vat of hot metal.

Later, after considerable time negotiating getting off the railings and on to solid platform, and refraining from the urge to kiss the rusted platform, Max pulled Janet up, grabbed their guns Davros, the arms dealer, had neglected to dispose of because of his stupid assumption that his metal vat death trick would be enough to hold a couple of D.E.B.S.

God, she loved stupid criminals. Max looked at her watch and smiled grimly. "Right on schedule."

"Schedule?" Janet asked, "What schedule?"

Sounds of gunfire and shouting rented the air. "That schedule. Come on, we have to get to Davros before he escapes."

"There was a schedule?"

Max turned around and focused an annoyed glance at her and signaled for quiet. Max ran down the steps, checking for snipers and surprises every once and a while and trusting Janet to cover her back.

When they were close to the Davros' office, Max crouched on the nearest box crate.

"Why didn't anyone tell me there was a schedule?" Whispered Janet.

Max rolled her eyes. "You were out all night! I couldn't very well tell you the whole plan in the five minutes you got to HQ!"

"Well, you could have called me."

Max eyed Davros as he scrambled into his office, she signaled Janet to get ready. "I could have but I didn't want to mess with Scud's proposal." She turned back and saw Janet's stunned expression. "C'mon Davros' in."

Two guards had hung back, on their toes and alert and ready to kick-up a storm with a gun battle. Not that would help them any. She did plan on getting caught but she still didn't appreciate getting all chained up and hung over an extremely hot metal vat. There will be hell to pay.

It's game time. Max cocked her favorite sidearm and rushed the door, the guards turned, saw them and began shooting, Max didn't even blink, squeezed the trigger a couple of times, felt the recoil of the gun, ducked behind a steel pillar, shot up ten more, felt a bullet whiz over head, and continued shooting. Janet was right beside her all along, not even flinching, Max almost grinned, to think she once thought Janet was a wuss.

Max glanced at Janet, saw Janet finish reloading her gun and nodded at her. The two guards were scrambling to reload their weapons, Max breezed by them, shooting them twice on the leg and arm to incapacitate them. The two hulking guards fell like logs, Max kicked at the door, felt a bullet graze her arm, registered it by pulling to the side and squeezing the trigger.

Davros screamed, falling on his knees and screaming at them in Russian. Max didn't bother to translate. Max secured the area and smiled for the first time when she saw the cybernetic vault was almost done decoding.

"Janet!"

"Yes?"

"Help the nice vault get open faster please."

Janet glanced at the shifting numbers on the gun metal gray safe. "Wow. You really did plan this."

"Janet."

"On it."

Max watched Janet kneel down, wiggled her fingers and began to unscramble the code then turned her attention to Davros. She kicked him on the leg. "And you scum bag, have the fucking right to remain silent and stop hanging girls on goddamned chains."

When the clean-up squad finally arrived, Max was sitting on the cybernetic vault, watching the clean-up squad swarm in apprehending henchmen her team had already taken down.

"It was a very good plan, yes?" Dominique said, her accent still thick with French, but after seven years in America, she finally learned to stop interchanging English with French. Dominique flicked the lighter, lighting another stick and blowing it out with a satisfied smirk.

"Well, I didn't even know there _was_ a plan." Janet said, leaning on the vault.

"Oh, keep your whining, love." Tina said, taking the lighter Dominique was offering her. "You weren't home last night. I'm thinking" Here she lighted her own cigarette, then grinned, "you got some."

Max sighed. This was fun, if a bullet didn't kill her second hand smoking will.

"Good work team."

Max turned her head and saw Mr. Phipps materialize before them. "Hey, Mr. P."

"Good Morning, Mr. P!"

"Bonjour, Mr. P!"

"Morning, Mr. P!"

Phipps took it all stoically. "Good morning girls, another job well done I see."

Max knocked on the vault, "I say, more than well done."

"Is that—"

"The prototype of the nano bullet? The so-called 'perfect assassin'?" Max turned to Dominique. "You think this is it?"

"Well… It looked like nano bullets." Answered Dominique, waving her hand, a trail of smoke following the hand.

"Feels _like_ nano bullets, mate." Put-in Tina.

"It must be nano bullets." Finished Janet.

A broad smile broke out, then he let out a gusty laugh and shook one meaty finger at them. "This is why I like you girls."

Max knocked on the vault again. "Can you say Best International D.E.B. squad, Mr. P?"

After another gusty laugh, he shook his head and said. "I certainly could. Expect the commendation on your desks when you get back." Then just like that, Phipps vanished.

"Now, Janet," Janet turned to Max, eyes wide at the stern voice. "You ever gonna let us see the ring?"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Diamond Agenda**

Part One: **Idyllic Summer, **_cont'd_

_----_

_Somewhere near Barcelona, Spain_

Paradise was hell.

Amy didn't mean that metaphorically, she meant that literally. Like this moment, where Lucy rubbing her down with lotion was usually a good thing, now meant excruciating pain. Paradise sucks. And sunburns. And lovers with exotic skin immune to the sun who don't succumb to sunburns and share her pain.

"I told you that lotion wasn't any good."

Amy mumbled something in her pillow.

"What?"

She lifted her head a fraction. "This is all your fault."

"Yeah, how is this my fault?" Lucy asked, running her hand up and down Amy's back. Amy bit back a curse, and bit on the pillow instead. "Sorry, this stings a little."

"Now, you say that!"

"You do get cranky with sunburn, don't you?"

Amy returned to mumbling to her pillow. She sighed, she peeked at the satchel on the floor. Raised her head again, "I think we forgot my sketchbook and magazines on the beach."

"No, we didn't I brought it back."

Amy went still, Lucy continued laving her back with the medicine lotion, after a second's silence Amy said. "Is it safe to assume you've read about the Maharajah Diamond?"

"Why, were you trying to hide it from me?" Lucy's voice was teasing.

"No." Amy said, she bit her lip. "I just wanted to talk to you first before you saw the diamond."

Lucy made a noncommittal sound.

"Lucy?"

"You don't have to worry Amy," Lucy said, sounding like she was trying hard not to laugh. "I'm not going to the museum and steal the Maharajah."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Amy breathed deeply, that was good. She was even starting to enjoy herself a little. Amy let herself relax.

"But I'd be lying if I say I didn't think about it."

Amy didn't know what to say to that.

"Don't worry it was purely professional interest."

The bed covers were cool and soft, and Amy was getting tired of looking at nothing but that tiny space on the floor. Amy turned around, ignoring Lucy's protest. Lucy sat on her haunches and watched her, bemused. "As long as it remains a purely professional interest not to be acted upon."

"Never."

Amy searched Lucy's face and saw nothing of criminal intent, just the quirk of her lips and the angle of her eyebrows. Lucy leaned down, her long dark hair falling to her side, framing her face.

"I believe you." Amy said, holding reaching up to hold Lucy's face.

Lucy grinned at her, "Cover's all messy with the lotion now."

Amy smiled back. "Haven't you done anything you weren't supposed to do before?"

"Lots of times," Lucy said, throwing the lotion bottle over her shoulder completed the course she had intended to in the first place.

It was the loud buzzing sound that woke Amy. She groaned, threw her hand to the side table to kill the alarm clock, her hand hit the table with a dull thump, pain snaked to her arm.

It was then she remembered it was summer and she was in the beach house, 20 kilometers away from Barcelona and while she didn't have alarm clocks in this house, the beach house did carry one of the noisest doorbells in history.

Amy sat-up, swearing death to whoever was on the door in this ungodly hour of, she glanced at the wall clock, _Jesus_, three a.m.!

The bed shifted, Amy glanced at Lucy and realized that Lucy was already half out of bed, with an irritated expression on her face. Scud and Australia could attest, that that wasn't the safest emotion to get on Lucy.

"I'll get that." Lucy said, her voice roughened by sleep. Amy glanced at the security monitor on Lucy's night table and saw a pudgy, balding man, leaning heavily on the ringer.

"Don't kill him!" Amy said, "I want to kill him first."

Lucy pulled at her robe, Amy followed suit. "No promises."

Amy followed Lucy out the hall, but the brunette had gotten there first, and had already opened the door and broke out a tirade in Spanish. This was going to take long, like Max, Lucy had a talent for balling people out, with the side benefit of knowing where to hit and how hard. The benefits of being evil, she guessed.

Amy paused in the hall to fix her robe properly, when she realized it had fallen silent. Amy poked her head, she saw Lucy staring at the pudgy man in disbelief. The pudgy man was also staring at Lucy, turning and turning an old farmer's hat.

"Are you serious?" Amy heard Lucy say. "I mean after all this time, are you _serious_?"

"Please, Miss Reynolds, you're the only one I can turn to." The pudgy man said in straight English with a heavy Queen's accent.

_Reynolds?_ Alarm bells blared in Amy's head. "Lucy."

Lucy turned a glance at Amy. Lucy looked like someone had told her there were no such things as diamonds and proved it to her by destroying every last diamond in Lucy's possession.

"Amy, this is an old friend…." Lucy waved at the pudgy guy and shot a look at him.

The pudgy guy, stood straight, catching Lucy's glance and managed to stammer: "Ricardo Torres,_ señorita_."

"Torres, apparently, he's come to talk about business."

Amy crossed her arms. "Business?"

Lucy's smile strained. "Yeah, I was actually about to invite you to join us in the study."

"Miss Reynolds!" Protested the pudgy guy.

"I trust her." Lucy said in a clipped tone, then she nodded at Amy, Amy came forward then fell in step beside her, Amy glanced back and saw Torres fall a few respective steps behind.

"I thought you said no more crime?" Amy asked in a low voice.

"It's not crime," Lucy said, "this is talking."

"About what?"

"About… family business."

"Your family _was_ crime!"

"Hey!" Protested Lucy, sounding deeply aggrieved, then she pursed her lips. "Okay, you're absolutely right, but I can't really throw him out, you know."

"Why the hell not?"

"He was like… a family retainer or something."

"Retainer?" Amy muttered.

Lucy looked away, they entered the study, and Lucy immediately made a beeline to her desk, and sat down on her high back chair. Amy frowned, narrowed her eyes and decided to sit on one of the chaise, she crossed her arms and leaned back, intent on Lucy.

Torres, twitching and perspiring approached the table.

"Well, Torres, what's so damned important that you have to bang on my door and wake us up?"

"It's my daughter, Miss Reynolds."

"What about your daughter?"

"She's in danger."

Lucy looked bored. "Then go to the police."

"I can't!" Lucy looked at him with raised eyebrows. Torres looked down, and worried the brim of his hat some more "I can't Miss Reynolds. I beg of you, you must help me. My family has always been loyal to your family. I have sacrificed two sons to your war versus the Schaffers. I have saved your father's life and he had granted me leave to transplant my family to safer ground. In all those years, I haven't broken faith with your family, and it is only now that I come for you to ask for your help."

"Help you how?" Lucy asked, her face impassive, devoid of the openness Amy was used to.

"My daughter, Miss Reynolds, she is young and impulsive. She has… lost a large amount of money. She didn't know what she was doing—"

"As her father, I would think it was your duty to educate your daughter about that."

"I have tried, you must believe me, I have tried!" Cried the desperate man, "and now—"

"The local syndicate wants to collect." Lucy finished for him. "You know, this may be the best time for your daughter to learn her lesson."

"But they threatened to kill her!"

Lucy sighed, blowing her bangs up, she seemed to relax from her position and for the first time since she entered the study looked at Amy.

"Please, I beg of you,_ capo_!"

That jerked Lucy's attention back to Torres like a gunshot. Lucy stood up, fast, surprising Amy. Torres shambled backwards as Lucy walked around the table. Amy stood on attention, unsure what to do. She trusted Lucy, but when it came to the murky past, Lucy was as open as a closed book.

Lucy took two steps to Torres, an unreadable expression on her face, then she moved forward in a quick step that made Amy's long unused spy instincts kick-up as she watched Lucy raise her arm...

and put it around Torres' shoulder.

Amy blinked and watched as a manic grin formed Lucy's mouth.

"None of that! Look, no point in worrying about this, after all your daughter has ---"

"Only two days!"

"See. Plenty of time! Meanwhile, why don't you take your daughter elsewhere." Lucy said, all cheerful, completely different from the woman who was behind the desk.

"You'll help then?"

Lucy shrugged. "I'll think about it." She guided him to the door, "Go on, now, butler guy will meet you in the living room."

Then as they reached the door, Torres twisted around, caught Lucy's right hand and kissed it. Lucy looked pained.

"Thank you."

"Oh, here's Jose!" Lucy unceremoniously pushed Torres out the door, and waved. "Okay, buh-bye now."

Jose the butler-slash-cabana boy caught a very surprised Torres, Lucy didn't wait to see what would happen next and closed the door behind her.

Amy looked at Lucy, Lucy looked apologetic and shrugged. "Weird crazy guy, huh?"

"So, what are you planning to do?" Amy asked walking towards Lucy. Lucy grabbed her hand.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Well, I was going to go talk to the head of the local syndicate."

Amy sighed. "Lucy. No. We should just contact the police."

"Any other time I'd say you're right." Amy shot a look at her, and Lucy amended. "Okay, no, no other time will I ever say that about cops. But in this case _I'm_ right. The cops won't be able to help poor Miss Torres."

"Don't tell me, corrupt cops."

"Right." Lucy lifted Amy's hand and kissed each knuckle. "Don't worry. I'll just talk to the local head, just talk and nothing more."

"That's right because if crime breaks out, I will be kicking your ass, Miss Badass Master Criminal."

Lucy grinned. "Right, we wouldn't want that."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Diamond Agenda**

Part One: **Idyllic Summer**, _cont'd_

_----_

"I don't see why I can't come, back-up is an integral part of any situation that has a potential to escalate into--- What?"

Lucy bit back the urge to giggle and waved her arms. "Nothing."

"No, come on, what?"

"You got that from the DEBS handbook didn't you?"

Amy flushed a nice pink color, Lucy liked that color on Amy.

"Yes," admitted Amy then added, as if she couldn't help herself: "Article 15 section 5."

"I love your brain." Lucy said, wonderingly, reaching up to brush Amy's forehead.

Amy closed her eyes at the contact and had almost, almost fallen in for the kiss Lucy was going for when her eyes snapped open, then she pulled back, looking very alarmed and formed a cross with her fingers. "Whoa! Whoa! Back, evil seductress! I'm not finished with my point yet! My point has yet to be established! There has to be a point before kissage ensues!"

Lucy did so, afraid that Amy would resort to drastic psuedo-vampire slaying measures. "Did you talk like that before we were together?"

"No. I had whole sentences before I met you, and a point!"

Her distraction powers must be slipping. This was worrying. "I'll behave."

"Look, its this simple you need back-up!"

"That's true." Lucy said, nodding

"Then let me come with you!"

"Okay, I don't see why you staying in the car is such a problem..."

"Because you need back-up." Amy said, enunciating the words clearly as if she were some kid. Come to think of it, Scud did that a lot too.

"But you're my super secret back-up, if I get into trouble, not that I _would_ be, but in case I'll get into trouble you can do the whole cavalry thing, charging in with guns a blazing and save me."

Amy crossed her arms, and had on a 'completely not buying your flattering imagery' face. "Wouldn't it be better if the cavalry was already there, with the guns instead of the delaying time of running around and kicking down doors?"

"I'll be entering a den of filth and crime, you wouldn't want that."

"Of course I would, it'll be like old times, me trying to bring down---"

"See, that's exactly _why_ you can't be there when I talk to the crime guy because you'd be thinking of ways to bring him down when all I want to do is talk to him."

Amy frowned. "You think I'll arrest him?"

"You won't but you'll be thinking it."

"Since when is thinking a crime?"

Lucy shook her head and grinned. "You win, 'Perfect Score'. But remember if things go badly I have the right to say I told you so."

"You wouldn't even have to."

"We'll see."

The den of filth and crime turned out to be a two story house with a large gate. It looked too cosy to be a den of filth and crime. Amy looked at Lucy. "This is your 'den of filth and crime'?"

"This isn't _my_ den of filth and crime. This is Rodrigo's den of filth and crime."

"Rodrigo being the leader of the syndicate?"

Lucy shook her head. "Rodrigo being the father of the leader of the syndicate. Wait." She poked her head out of the car window and spoke to the guard they exchanged a few _holas_ before getting down to business. Amy turned around and eyed the villa noting the height of the gate and the number of guards that can be seen.

The gates opened and the car started moving.

Lucy glanced at her. "How many guards."

"Ten guards." She answered automatically, then stopped at Lucy's knowing smirk. "I didn't count for the purpose of bringing this crime house down, I counted for protection!"

"I know." Lucy said simply.

Lucy pulled up the drive way and got out, she handed the keys to the valet waiting for them. "Come on."

"_Señorita _Diamond," An old man greeted, "_Señor_ Rodrigo is waiting for you at the balcony."

"Lead on, MacDuff." Lucy said cheerfully.

The old butler led them through the house, the whole architecture and design bespoke of class, something Amy didn't expect used to the numerous holding buildings, warehouses and metal mills supervillains used as headquarters.

They entered a balcony, large and spacious enough to fit two beach chairs. One of which was occupied by a big man with snowy hair.

"You still have a full head of hair I see." Lucy said.

The man on the chair leapt up, he was old, Amy realized, with leathery skin but had the same sunny vitality Mr. Phipps had when he smiled. Amy suddenly, after a long, long time, felt home sick.

"Lucy Diamond!" Greeted the old man, Rodrigo, in a loud booming voice, he took a big step forward and hugged her. Lucy submitted to the hug happily. "I could not believe it when the guards told me, and then of course I remembered, a priceless _diamante_ was in Barcelona, of course you would want to be there!"

"Er, yeah, priceless diamond, sure!" Lucy said, shooting a glance at Amy, then quickly disentangled herself from the hug and pointed at her. "_Señor_ Rodrigo, I'd like you to meet Amy. Amy, _señor _Rodrigo."

Rodrigo looked at Amy and smiled. "My, my, my Lucy, you have done well for yourself!" Then he went over and bussed Amy at each cheek. "Not like---"

Lucy suddenly started coughing noisily. "Whew, that... that air is something isn't it?"

Amy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Uh-huh. _Some_ air."

"So, is Joaquin here?" Lucy said, talking loudly.

Rodrigo's expression darkened. "No, he isn't. I'm afraid you have wasted a trip, Lucy if you have come to talk to my ingrate son."

"So, its true... he's broken away from your group?"

Rodrigo nodded. "I've stopped my operations, not good for an old man. Bad for the heart."

"Yeah," Lucy said then looked at her. "It really is."

Amy felt her mouth go dry and her heart quicken. Three years and Lucy still had the ability to make her go weak in the knees.

"Ah, _amor_." Rodrigo said with a sigh, shaking Amy out of reverie. He smiled at her then turned to Lucy looking serious. "Lucy, if you will come and talk to Joaquin let me say this. He has gone a long way, a bad way and partly it is my fault, and partly because of his pride. But he hasn't fallen as far as..." He glanced at Amy then back to Lucy. "As far as you did. But if you have business with him, do an old man a favor, knock some sense into that ungrateful boy."

Lucy hesitated. "Rodrigo... I just want to talk to Joaquin, I'm not here to start any war."

"It is not war I ask, just show him it isn't a business for him." Seeing Lucy's reluctance he added, "Please, for me."

Lucy looked at him for a long time then nodded.

It wasn't long before they said their goodbyes and hugs and headed for the car, all through the walk from the balcony to the front door Lucy had stayed silent, Amy couldn't quite make out the mood Lucy was in. Ever since that night with Torres, Lucy had become quieter... it wasn't like Lucy.

When they got into the car, Lucy started it and drove away all without speaking.

Amy was not loving the prospect of a two hour drive limited by monosyllables. "Alright, what's wrong?" Amy said, breaking the silence.

Lucy let out a sigh. "Did this day have like, a 'Ask Lucy favor' flag on that I didn't know about?'

"Its just two favors."

"Yeah, maybe."

Amy watched Lucy, the afternoon sun lighting her face. She looked at the road long and winding before them, there was a reason why she insisted on coming, and the reason was the queasy feeling she got at the expression of Lucy's face when Torres mentioned the war between the Schaffers and the Reynolds.

If there was one thing Amy learned in the three years they were together it was that Lucy didn't like talking about that part of her past. She could regale Amy with stories about her father and mother, uncles and cousins but she never once mentioned the Schaffers even in passing. And with Torres' midnight call it seemed like a wall had fallen between them. Amy didn't like it.

Amy checked her sidearm, heavy and ominous in her jacket holster. She had a bad feeling about this, and she wasn't about to let Lucy do all this alone. After all, she did promise Max to keep Lucy in the straight and narrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Diamond Agenda**

Part One:**Idyllic Summer**, _cont'd_

_-----_

The two hour drive wasn't as boring as Amy feared it was going to be, discounting everything related to the Torres visit it was almost like going on a good old American road trip, except they were in Spain, and they've been up and down this strip of road for two years since Lucy bought the beach house. So, no, not exactly like a good old American road trip.

At one point in the trip, her head on Lucy's lap, her feet stuck out the window, Lucy glanced down at her and said. "Why don't you call your friends?"

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"How about because of the worldwide trace they have?" Amy pointed out, "Besides I can't contact them, unless circumstances are dire, and most importantly, I can only contact them when you're like two miles away from me."

Lucy had returned to looking at the road, but from Amy's upside down point of view she could see a smile play along the corners of Lucy's lips. Amy sat up, pulling her feet from the window and almost hitting Lucy on the chin. "What do you know?"

"I have it on good authority that the phone's tracker-free at this time."

"How would you—" Before Amy could finish her sentence, Lucy took something from her jacket and tossed it to her. Amy caught it and blinked at Lucy's tiny sleek black phone.

"Call them."

"Alright, but if they raid the beach house you only have yourself to blame."

"Agreed." Lucy said, "Now call."

"Here goes." Amy dialed in the international code and the new number of the DEBS' apartment.

It rang three times before a throaty, angry voice barked: "This better be important!"

Amy laughed, a wave of nostalgia hit her. "I better hope talking to your best friend is important."

"Bradshaw?" There was a crash, "Dammit, girl you know what time it is?"

"I'm guessing really, really late."

"Damn right it's really, really late!"

Amy heard a loud dull thump. "Don't tell me you just drew your gun at me?"

"Habit." Max told her, unapologetic. "Geez. Can't you call in a decent hour?"

Amy laughed. "No rest for the wicked."

"There is for the righteous!" Max said peevishly.

Amy didn't say anything then heard Max started laughing Amy joined her, memories of all the years they had together crowding in, Amy blinked and realized that a few tears had leaked out without her noticing. She glanced at Lucy and saw that she was studiously watching the road.

"Damn, girl, it's good to hear from you!" Max said, her voice sounding suspiciously choked. "So, I'm guessing LD's far from where you are?"

"Actually," Amy said, hesitating, saw Lucy glance at her and nod. "She's right beside me."

There was a long silence. "Have you finally seen the light? Does that mean when I flip on the tracker—"

"Tell Agent Max, in her dreams." Lucy said. Amy shot a look at her, covering the mouthpiece. "I'm not listening, she's just really, really loud."

"Don't tell me she did something wacky to the phones so we can't trace you." Max said, "I figured as much. So, you want to talk to Janet?"

"Why would I want to talk to Janet?" Amy asked, "I like Janet but I thought, quality friend time."

"You don't know?" Max said at the same time as Lucy said, "Talk to Janet."

"This is rich, LD didn't tell you?"

"Max, what?" A voice said. A voice decidedly non female, a voice too loud and close to the vicinity of wherever Max was to ignore

Amy pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it for a few seconds, before placing it back. "Was that a guy's voice?"

Amy could hear a rustle of clothes and a furious thumping sound that reminded her of footsteps and a click. "Let's get you talking to Janet."

"Max…" Amy said in a sing-song voice. "Whatever happened to no boys allowed upstairs?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Max said in a clipped tone, then, "Janet open your damned door!"

"What? What?" Amy heard Janet said in a sleepy voice.

"Amy's on the phone." Came Max's voice, then louder. "Great talking to you, Amy, miss you a lot, here's Janet."

There was a lot of shuffling and finally, "Amy!"

"Uh, Janet?" Amy said, looking at Lucy. Lucy didn't look at her. "Actually I wanted to talk to M---"

"Oh, my gosh! You heard!" Janet squealed in tones too loud for a girl who's just woken up. "Scud must have told Lucy! I am _so_ happy!"

"What? Told Lucy what?" Then off the phone, to Lucy, "What did Scud tell you?"

Lucy only grinned at her.

"Oh, gosh, I have to tell you everything! You and Lucy have to come home, I won't take no for an answer! I mean, we have to measure you for the gowns! And you definitely have to be one of the bridesmaids—"

"You're what? I'm going to be whatting what?"

"My bridesmaid, silly! As if you didn't know, Scud proposed to me two days ago!"

"Scud _what_?"

"Hello? Is the connection going?" Janet said in a louder voice, Amy pulled the phone away and stared at it mouth agape, from the receiver, Janet's voice continued to emerge from it. "Hello? Amy?"

With her free hand Lucy gently took the phone from Amy, then pressed it to her ear. "Hi, Janet, its Lucy. Yeah, Amy's alright, she asked me to tell you congratulations. Yeah, yeah, we'll do our best to be there. You and Scud are great together. Listen, Janet, we have to go, we're heading in to a tunnel. Yeah, you too, bye."

Lucy clicked the phone shut and returned it to her jacket pocket. Amy watched as Lucy smile at her then continue on driving as if nothing had happened. They sat there in silence for a long moment.

"_Proposed?_"

"Yeah," Lucy said, nonplussed.

"_Proposed?_" Repeated Amy, hoping by sheer volume she could convey to Lucy the enormity of the situation.

"Yeah."

"_Proposed?_"

"Yep."

"And you didn't _tell_ me?" Amy said, then hit Lucy on the arm. "

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For not telling me!"

"Well, now you know besides Scud asked me to keep it secret—"

"That was two days ago!"

"But isn't it more fun learning this way?" Lucy said, trying to reason.

Amy scowled. "Don't even try to charm your way to my good graces, Diamond." Then repeated, under her breath: "Proposed!"

Lucy only grinned, then turned the car left into the industrial section then stopped at a gray brick walled compound that practically screamed evil lair. "Behold the den of filth and crime."

"Answer me this, Lucy." Amy said, tilting her head up to get a good view of the compound, which turned out to be a boring idea since all it was was… grey. "Why in the world do you people insist on getting places like these?"

"You people?" Lucy said, eyebrows raised.

"Super villains."

"Joaquin, super villain? _Please_." Lucy said, sounding deeply offended. "He's like small fry."

"Okay, fine, I will not lump you in the same category as the small fry criminal." Amy said, exasperated. "At least tell me why criminals insist in getting tacky places as these for their headquarters."

"First off, I resent that you called my evil lair tacky." Lucy said, unbuckling her belt. "Second, rent's cheap."

Amy unbuckled her belt, opened her door and stretched her legs. "You mean criminals pay rent and taxes?"

"Not taxes, but we sometimes pay rent but more often than not, places like these are empty."

They walked to the huge steel door, their feet crunching gravel, Lucy buzzed at the door two times then waved at the camera overhead.

"Wait. You really called your headquarters, Evil Lair?"

"What?"

Amy struggled to keep her smile down. "Nothing."

"It's not tacky."

"I didn't say that."

Lucy watched Amy suspiciously. "It's not."

"It does prove the theory though, you _do_ learn something new everyday."

Lucy opened her mouth to speak but then the heavy steel door opened, Amy winced, the door needed serious oil treatment.

A heavy set man with a shotgun met them, before he could loom and threaten Lucy stepped across the threshold. "Hi. Nice to meet you. Joaquin, here? Joaquin, _aqui_?"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Lucy Diamond." An arrogant heavily accented Spanish voice said.

"Joaquin."

Amy turned her head and saw Joaquin, he looked like your typical Spanish football player, lean and muscular with the extra side helping of arrogance. He was the type of villain Amy couldn't stand, the type to look down at you as soon as he kills you.

"I see the Maharajah had lured you out of hiding."

"Whatever." Lucy said, "Look, Joaquin, is there someplace we can talk?"

Joaquin spread his arms, "Here's as good as any," then he wiggled his eyebrows at Lucy. "Unless you want to _talk_."

"Get your head out of the gutter, junior, I'm here to talk business."

"Like I will ever talk to a _ladron_, a mere thief like you, Lucinda." Joaquin said.

Amy twitched, looked around and counted the guards, she surreptitiously weighted her sidearm in her jacket. She really hated these type of criminals. Amy wondered how Lucy could look so calm. If it were Max who was in Lucy's place, Max would have toasted his ass since the word go.

"Where's your potato friend?" Sneered Joaquin.

"_Scud_," Corrected Lucy, "isn't here. This is just business between us."

Joaquin nodded at Amy's direction. "And the blond?"

"Is with me."

"Oh, really?" He mimed a kiss then leered, Amy bit the inside of her cheek, when Joaquin suddenly let out a yowl, he glared at Lucy. "What is your problem, you crazy bitch?"

Lucy looked back at him, "My foot slipped."

"On my toes?"

"You have gigantic feet." Lucy reached up, hooked Joaquin's collar with a hand and pulled him to a table. "Let's talk."

One of Joaquin's henchmen sniggered.

Joaquin pulled away. "How dare you?"

"I told you I wanted to talk to you somewhere private. You didn't want to." Lucy said reasonably. "Look, Jack, I'm just here to talk, I'm not here to match BS with you."

"You may not have noticed, Lucinda, but this is my home, whatever will happen, will happen because I wish it."

Lucy massaged her head. "Okay. Fine, you're scarier. Can we talk in private now?"

"No."

Lucy sighed and muttered something Amy didn't get, then loudly. "Okay, here's the thing, there's a girl in trouble, made some bad calls in the gambling deck and now owes you a lot of money. I'm here to pay off her debt."

"Yeah, what's her name?"

"Katrina Torres."

"What's this Torres _mujer_ to you, Lucinda?"

"Nothing." Lucy said. "But her family's a friend of my family."  
"Okay." Joaquin said, rubbing his thumb on his chin. "Here's what I'm going to do… Not a goddamned thing."

"Don't be stupid, I'm offering you money."

Joaquin laughed contemptuously. "You think I will take money from a turn coat bitch like you? Think I don't know who you're with?" He turned and looked at the pillar with the huge rust stain. "Why don't you enlighten Lucinda as to who her companion is?"

Amy followed his gaze, then felt herself go pale as a tall man with a big frame and a memorable scar on his cheek stepped out. "Son of a bitch."

Lucy looked at the man then at Amy and whispered. "How do you know Salvador Salvatore? And please tell me you met him in a bull fight down south."

"I'd love to tell you that but I really didn't meet him in a bull fight down south," Amy said, feeling her palms go sweaty.

"I will tell you who she is, oh, I will tell you!" Salvador said, glaring at Amy. "This _puta_ is  
the reason why I was in jail! The reason why I lost my empire!" Then he pointed at Lucy. "And you, Diamond, what are you doing with the likes of her?" Then spat. "A _DEB_!"

Lucy looked at Amy, trying and failing to look betrayed. "What? Amy? A DEB!"

"You didn't know she was a DEB?" Joaquin said, suspicious.

"Me, talk to a DEB?" Lucy said, still unconvincing as a betrayed person. "I spit at the idea!" Then spat on the floor.

"You didn't know that _hija de puta_ is a DEB?" Salvador echoed.

"Oh, no… not at all. I'm hurt! Crushed! Mortified!" Then Lucy turned and stepped directly in front of Amy. "How could you?"

"You're not a very good actress." Amy whispered.

"With Salvador?" Lucy whispered back, "He's thick as a brick, still get ready to act." Then Lucy turned on her heels, grabbed Amy's arm and louder. "You know what I always say Sal, a good DEB is a dead DEB!"

"Yes! That's true! A dead DEB!" Shouted Salvador.

"Oh, please." Joaquin said, "Don't tell me you believe her!"

"Stay out of this, junior, let the seniors deal with this spy." Lucy said, looking at Joaquin contemptuously.

"That is right boy! Let your seniors deal with a DEB."

"You're actually believing her more than me?" Shouted an outraged Joaquin.

Salvador stalked towards Joaquin, alarmed Joaquin backed off a few steps. "What did you say?"

"I said you were stup—"

"Here!" Lucy shouted, pushing Amy to Salvador. "Why don't you do the honors of killing her?"

Salvador stopped his advance to Joaquin and opened his arms to receive Amy, Amy let the momentum carry her to Salvador, and as soon as Salvador caught her he locked his big arms around her. Amy inhaled sharply at the crushing embrace. "I am more than happy to, Diamond, you truly are worth your father's empire!"

"Oh, please, no!" Quavered Amy.

Salvador only laughed at her, from the corner of Amy's eye she could see Joaquin stare at Salvador in disbelief.

"Are you really this stupid?" Joaquin demanded, then pointed at Lucy. "Maybe its because you were out of commission for a while, but it was pretty big news that Lucinda here had turned turncoat. She returned everything she ever stole and _apologized_."

Lucy made a _pshaw_ sound. "So I retired big deal. Your father retired too, I don't know why you're such an ass about it."

"Retired?" Joaquin repeated and spat on the ground. "He became a coward, just like you!"

"Respect your elders!" Shouted Salvador, red in the face, "I will not let you talk like that to my old friend Rodrigo!"

Lucy strode to Joaquin. "Don't get Sal angry, Jack, he's doing an important thing, ridding the world of one more DEB. Why are you trying to aggravate him?"

"You may have fooled that stupid idiot—"

That seemed to be the last straw for Old Sal Salvatore, he roared like an injured old bear and rushed at Joaquin. The henchmen suddenly moved, turning their guns at Sal then a small pop echoed in the din. Sal stopped from advancing, looked down at Amy and saw a patch of red on her shirt pulled Amy slightly away and saw the red on his chest. Sal staggered to his knees and fell, Lucy watched as Amy look down at her shirt, touched it and saw the red stain of blood. She looked at Lucy before she fell next to Sal.

Lucy stood there a long, long moment staring at Amy's sightless eyes, the blood pooling beneath her. There was an uproar around her, shouting and the like but all Lucy could do was stare at Amy.

"The hell?" Joaquin said, brining Lucy's attention back to him. Watched as he approached the old man and Amy warily. "What happened?" He kicked Sal's prone body but the old man didn't move. Just like Amy.

"Assassin," Lucy heard herself say, saw movement above then pointed to the railings. "It's a DEB!"

"What?" Joaquin shouted, "Are you certain?"

"Plaid skirt? Plaid necktie? Of course I'm damned certain!" Lucy shouted, fury written in every expression, she turned to the henchmen. "What the hell are you all standing there for? Get the DEB! I want her dead!"

The henchmen scrambled. They climbed steps, they opened doors, they all ran guns cocked ready to kill a DEB.

In a matter of seconds Lucy and Joaquin were alone.

"Dammit, it's because of the DEB you brought here, I can't believe—"

"Is it always this hard to get you alone, Jack?"

"What?"

Lucy turned on her heels, lips pursed. "'Cause doing that every time must is tiring."

"What?"

"I really don't appreciate going through all this trouble just to get some five minutes alone to talk to you."

"What are you talking about?" Demanded Joaquin.

"I'd really appreciate it if you just take the money, Jack, take the money and leave the business, it isn't for you."

"You've gone completely_ loca_, Lucinda." Joaquin said, stepping close. "You think you can come into my house and order me about?"

Lucy didn't back down, she put her hands in her jacket pockets. "Yeah, I think I can do exactly that, Jack. I think I can tell you to dial down your macho bullshit or—"

"Or what Lucinda?" Joaquin said, right in her face. "You can't do anything to me, word is you've gone soft."

"And word is you're a coward without your henchmen."

"I can handle you without them."

"Uh-huh, look, Jack, for once in your life, be smart. Take the money and walk away."

Joaquin growled and lunged at her, Lucy saw the move a mile away, he was taller than her and was two stones heavier. If she had been anybody else, she would have been overwhelmed. But she wasn't. She was Lucy Diamond, she had speed and experience on her side, no way in hell would there ever be a comparison between her and this small fry. She sidestepped the punch, caught his arm and twisted it behind him.

He raised his fist to hit her over the head, and tried to elbow her, he tried to use his weight to drive her down, Lucy let him, using the momentum to her advantage then dug her heels in, and swung him around, straight to the metallic table. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled.

"Three things, Jack," Lucy hissed, "One: I'm not a rat, never was, never will be. Two. You gonna take the money and leave this business alone. Three: No one calls me Lucinda except my parents. You got that?"

"No, crazy, fucking bit--!"

"Wrong answer." She banged Jack's head straight into the metal table, the force of it echoing in the now empty warehouse. "Let me repeat, you got that?"

Joaquin didn't answer.

"Don't play stoic with me, Jack," Lucy shouted, banging Jack's head against the table again and again. "I could do this the whole damn day."

"Lucy! Lucy! Stop!"

"Not gonna stop until he says uncle!"

A hand grabbed her arm, stopping her, Lucy turned glaring and stopped when she realized it was only Amy.

"He _can't_ say uncle." Amy pointed out.

Lucy blinked then pulled Joaquin's head up, his face was a mess, his nose was broken and blood was everywhere. On his face, his shirt, his table, even her hands were blood spattered.  
Joaquin's eyes had rolled up, sometime between when he started and when Amy stopped her, she had knocked Joaquin unconscious.

"Whoops." Lucy said, careful to place Joaquin's head on the part of the table that had no blood on it. "I guess I got carried away."

Amy looked at Joaquin's battered face then back to her. "Yeah, carried away."

"Well, that's a favor done, put the fear off God on him." Lucy said, unable to look Amy in the eye. She glanced back at Salvador. "How long will he be out?"

"An hour." Amy continued to look at her.

"C'mon let's get Jacky boy cleaned up."

"And what about the other favor?"

"Leaving him a note and a threat," Lucy said, grabbing a couple of rags and wiping the countertop.

"You think its wise to do that? Won't he come after you?"

"Jacky? Nah. He's a coward at heart, and he knows what I'm capable of. Ten to one, he'll get back to his dad, tail between his legs."

They grabbed Joaquin and hauled him into his office, Lucy wiped the blood off his face and made sure his nose wasn't too broken he'd die on her. The henchmen were still scrambling around, not too organized as Lucy suspected and they made their way to the car as easy as pie.

"What just happened back there?" Amy asked after a long moment of silence.

"Nothing happened, I just got carried away."

"Just got carried away?" Repeated Amy, the disapproval clear in her voice.

"What, don't tell me good ol' Agent Max don't get carried away at times."

"During high octane situations, yeah."

Lucy turned at a corner. "Jesus, Amy, I got carried away can we just drop it?"

"For now."

"Thank you!"

Another moment of silence fell, broken only by the beat of the tires on the pavement and the few kids brave enough to brave the Spanish heat.

"Damn. This was my favorite shirt." Lucy heard Amy say, she glanced and saw Amy pick at the shirt gingerly.

Amy caught Lucy's look and sighed. "Fine you can say it."

"Say what?"

"I told you so." Amy said, "If I wasn't there I wouldn't have soiled this shirt."

Lucy smiled. "You said it not me."

"But I think it was still worth it that I was there."

Lucy returned her gaze to the dusty road, the sunlight searing her eyes. She lifted her right hand, saw the flecks of dried blood. "Yeah, good thing."

The drive home was silent.


End file.
